Ron runs a channel called Yellow Florida Jeep and takes people into Ocala National Forrest. I had an approximate 2 hour phone call with an Ocala National Forest LEO a couple days ago. The call started because I found a stolen, stuck, abandoned Honda mini van on the southern portion of the Tread Lightly Four Wheel Drive Way trail! We talked about many different things because Don Cox and I are not just volunteers but are also in a Field Ranger program with the Ocala National Forest! The main reason for this post is to reveal a couple of things that I learned from that call! This LEO uses FaceBook, YouTube and Instagram to scan for violations in the Ocala National Forest. If they can read a license plate or find someone that can positively identify a violator, they will write a ticket, save a copy of the video and send you a fine or even a federal court date. They stated that they have written up to $2,200 in fines using FaceBook to a single person. They are allowed to go back as far as two years from the violation date and issue you a fine using social media. They also stated that if they discover a violation the FWC ticketed you for, they can also ticket you for the same violations. I don’t know the details on how they can do that. I’m just relaying the information I was told. You are allowed to drive on both of the two roads along the power lines and nf-09! But it’s more responsible to drive on the side that’s more established. Not all power line roads are numbered! Meaning you are not allowed to drive on one that is not listed on the Avenza app! There are also seasonal roads that are numbered but have a different appearance on the Avenza app. You cannot drive on those roads out of season. Also, the Avenza app is the only map app that they recognize to display the correct, proper roads for us to navigate. They are aware of other good GPS apps like Gaia but you can add layers to Gaia that show other trails that can confuse folks and get them into trouble. First, always adhere to Tread Lightly standards. Second, know the local laws! Third, if you’ve posted videos that show you or someone else in your video are in violation of laws, you should consider removing them or make them private with a limited, controlled audience. If you are in someone else’s video breaking the law, ask them to remove it if you fear the consequences. Be safe! Ron Rogers YellowFlordaJeep. https://www.avenza.com/ https://www.youtube.com/user/ronr66 https://treadlightly.org/
0 Comments
3/12/2020 0 Comments ANOTHER JEEPIN' WITH JUDD IS DONE.February is always a pretty full month as far as Jeeping goes for us. The charity event put on by Sheriff Judd each year raised a good amount of funds to help with the Polk Sheriff charities. http://www.polksheriff.org/about/polk-sheriff's-charities. We are members of the Orlando Jeep Club and volunteer time to lead trails for the event. Before the event there is a tremendous amount of work to be done. Trails are cut and tested. We spend the weekends leading to the event running and testing on the trails that will be used. The weekend of the event has come and gone. Thousands of Jeeps were take for trail rides but now it’s time to set about doing repairs. First off, I had to change the rock sliders. We put a small bend in the side steps we had on the 2010. Next, Install the front drive shaft and differential cover. And finally find out what happened to the new CB. Perhaps a grounding issue. We always look forward to doing this each year because it allows us to do more wheeling in 1 month than most do in a whole year. Clear Springs Ranch offers terrain that is varied and puts the Jeeps to an excellent test. Tight pine trees, grassy hills, and off camber wash outs. This year was no different. We had intended to do the stock trails in the Blue Gator with no lift. Well the first trail training day showed us we needed a lift. So in the midst of all the weekend adventure, we installed a Rough Country 3.5 inch lift. I spent some time researching the history of Fortner family grave yard. But as things turned out the moderate trails were short on leaders, so to moderate we went. FIVE THINGS ABOUT THE 2020 JEEPIN' WITH JUDD: 1- Let’s start with the CB issue: it’s real hard to tell you about the trail when you don’t have one. You can pick up a hand held for real cheap. Too often 50% of the Jeeps did not know where we were going. 2- How to follow the person in front of you. Stay close... that means 20 feet or so. Not a quarter of a mile. Give them room to climb hills and go over obstacles . People want to ride the trails, not wait around for that one guy who wants to decide what the pace should be super slow. Always keep the Jeep behind you in sight, if you can’t see them... STOP. 3- It’s a MODERATE trail: If you don’t think you can make it, or don’t feel comfortable about an obstacle, go around. You are on a moderate trail in a stock Jeep don’t slow everyone down by getting stuck on every hill or hole. Thanks for coming, we loved having you, now just go buy some mud or all terrain tires. 4- Tow points: there needs to be a place to hook up for recovery. I got stuck in the 2010 while testing the stock trail. The person in front of me just backed up, hooked up his kinetic rope, and we were free of the hill. What’s a kinetic rope you ask? Why it is one of the best things to invest in for your Jeep. Where tow straps fail, kinetic ropes pull stuff out with one tug. No broken bumpers. Get a soft shackle when you order the rope as well. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. 5- Lastly... the Clear Springs Ranch is private property and entering when not attending an event is TRESPASSING. It is an active cattle ranch with over 1500 head of cattle. They don’t take kindly to trespassing. If you came out to attend this year, on behalf of all those who volunteered their time, thank you. Your attendance makes the event a success each year. For those that volunteered, thank you for all the hard work you put in to pull this off. To all the Sheriff officers, you are most excellent, and thank you for all you do. We appreciate that you put your life on the line to protect others. And to all those who are subscribers, thank you for tuning in, you keep us going and motivated to keep exploring the area. Spring is here and that means some trips out to take flower pics for Randy. If you are in the central Florida area and would like to help with next years event please take some time to look up the Orlando Jeep Club and see what a great group of Jeepers they are. They trail ride multiple times a month and have Wednesday wheelers group that heads out the first Wednesday of each month. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
April 2021
Categories |